Berger isn't the worst!

[Stairwayto7]

What stands out to me the most is, there is only a 4 yard net difference between No.1 and Berger at 29. But thats probably because we cover so well, since the punts are so short?
My biggest concerns isn`t his average net, its the horrific punts when we need him the most! And when did he get the Long of 61 yards off???? it must of rolled 30 yards, down hill, with the wind, after a fumble.



NFL SORTABLE STATS INDIVIDUAL -- Average Punting Yards
Rk|Name/Team|Punts|Yds|Avg|Long|In|20|In20%|TB|TB%|BLK|Net
1|Donnie Jones|StL|65|3241|49.9|63|17|26.2|4|6.2|0|40.5
2|Shane Lechler|Oak|74|3642|49.2|70|27|36.5|10|13.5|0|41.7
3|Chris Kluwe|Min|64|3055|47.7|62|21|32.8|11|17.2|1|34.7
4|Andy Lee|SF|53|2490|47.0|82|11|20.8|6|11.3|1|38.6
5|Brett Kern|Den|39|1824|46.8|64|13|33.3|3|7.7|0|37.7
6|Mike Scifres|SD|42|1967|46.8|67|16|38.1|3|7.1|0|42.3
7|Jon Ryan|Sea|65|2983|45.9|63|17|26.2|11|16.9|1|37.7
8|Jason Baker|Car|62|2813|45.4|63|23|37.1|5|8.1|3|37.7
9|Sam Koch|Bal|68|3071|45.2|74|27|39.7|6|8.8|0|40.1
10|Dustin Colquitt|KC|58|2614|45.1|73|22|37.9|6|10.3|0|39.7
11|Dave Zastudil|Cle|58|2598|44.8|65|18|31.0|8|13.8|0|38.3
12|Josh Bidwell|TB|60|2669|44.5|64|22|36.7|6|10.0|0|38.4
13|Hunter Smith|Ind|46|2046|44.5|64|16|34.8|2|4.3|0|38.5
14|Brandon Fields|Mia|62|2750|44.4|71|19|30.6|4|6.5|0|35.4
15|Nick Harris|Det|75|3310|44.1|66|21|28.0|4|5.3|0|38.3
16|Chris Hanson|NE|40|1759|44.0|70|16|40.0|9|22.5|0|36.5
17|Saverio Rocca|Phi|64|2805|43.8|65|22|34.4|4|6.3|1|38.1
18|Brian Moorman|Buf|49|2140|43.7|62|19|38.8|4|8.2|0|38.3
19|Jeff Feagles|NYG|48|2083|43.4|61|18|37.5|5|10.4|0|39.7
20|Adam Podlesh|Jac|46|1989|43.2|60|12|26.1|5|10.9|0|36.6
21|Ben Graham|Ari|20|858|42.9|56|5|25.0|0|0.0|0|35.2
22|Craig Hentrich|Ten|69|2951|42.8|75|23|33.3|8|11.6|0|36.6
23|Matt Turk|Hou|39|1670|42.8|59|12|30.8|5|12.8|0|36.7
24|Sam Paulescu|Dal|35|1476|42.2|70|8|22.9|4|11.4|0|34.9
25|Derrick Frost|GB|48|2021|42.1|65|8|16.7|5|10.4|0|36.1
26|Dirk Johnson|Ari|40|1670|41.8|59|13|32.5|4|10.0|0|35.2
27|Steve Weatherford|Jac|48|2008|41.8|61|7|14.6|7|14.6|0|32 .8
28|Brad Maynard|Chi|79|3240|41.0|67|32|40.5|4|5.1|0|37.8
29|Mitch Berger|Pit|51|2072|40.6|61|16|31.4|2|3.9|0|37.6
30|Ryan Plackemeier|Was|47|1903|40.5|56|9|19.1|6|12.8|1|32 .6
31|Michael Koenen|Atl|48|1941|40.4|60|21|43.8|3|6.3|1|37.9
32|Kyle Larson|Cin|85|3389|39.9|57|22|25.9|3|3.5|1|34.3

[SteelerSal]

Well that makes me feel better.:lol:

Man I hope D-sep makes it back at 100% next season.:crossfingers:

[BlitzburghRockCity]

It is what it is right now, he's the best out there and he's for damn sure better than Ernster. We can count our blessings on that one. Berger has been in the league what like 100 years or something we just have to suck it up and do the best we can with him. As on offense they need to stay out of situations that get them backed up deep in their own territory; easier said than done with our group I know but...

[HUNT4SEVEN]

He's bad enough:cursin: i know he better get it together soon:rant2: i would hate to lose another playoff game due to special teams:cursin: i'm not blaming the coverage units only that bum mitch the *itch:cursin::cursin:

[scott0326]

Berger isn't great...Or even close to it, but he's 100X better then Ernster.

[ejsteeler]

Keep in mind, the coverage teams may be looking good because of the short kicks......:stirpot:

[BlitzburghRockCity]

I don't really think that's the case, even when Jeff booms one on kickoffs or Berger/Ernster gets off a rare long punt, lol, they are right there and swarm the return guy on just about every opportunity. Even on the short ones, the hang time is good which is what you want to see so your guys have more time to get there. They've really stepped up this year .

[ejsteeler]

Yeah, I know, just mixing it up a bit.....:grin1:

[LatrobePA]

Not the worse but a close 4th!!

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Either way getting DSep back is going to be sweet, having him with that strong leg booming punts and our good coverage units hopefully returning to form next year too we could have one of the better units in the league.

[NCSteeler]

Top of that list is loaded with loser teams, I guess having a bad punter hasn't hurt ...Yet.

[lloydfan4life]

Berger may not be the worst BUT he sure sucks anyhow.

I too can't wait to get D Sep back next year!
Our punts have been horriffic all year long!
Thank God our D has been playing as well as it has!

[greennick]

Will Sepulveda (or however you spell his name) be back 100% next season? This is the second time with the same knee, so will there be any latent issues there?

[AZ_Steeler]

link (half way down) (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08349/935070-66.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml)

Let me get this straight: The Steelers thought a punter was so important in 2007 that they used draft picks in the fourth and sixth rounds to take Daniel Sepulveda. OK, if that's your philosophy, at least you went out and got what you thought was necessary.

Yet now they have a punter who has had two hamstring injuries and who punts the way you imagine Bobby Walden might still be doing it and they do nothing about it. The reason? Mitch Berger holds for kicker Jeff Reed.

Ricky Schmitt was a member of the practice squad for about three days after Paul Ernster was released and before they decided to go with Berger again the first week of November. Schmitt, a lefty, was bombing punts in practice. The problem? He does not hold, or at least does not do a good job of it.

So, what we have here is the Steelers staying with a poor punter because he can hold for Reed's PATs and field-goal tries. That's how little they now regard the job of punter, or at least that's the perception.

But what's so hard about finding a holder? Tony Romo aside, when is the last time a kick in the NFL failed because of a botched hold? Or, how about college football? Even high schools have competent holders. Yes, it happens on occasion but not as often as a crummy punt might doom a team.

Why could they not sign Schmitt and have Hines Ward hold? Here's another idea: Keep Berger, sign Schmitt and release someone who's sitting around doing little, and there are a few of them.

The one advantage they do have by sticking with Berger as their punter, though, is what happened against Dallas. The shorter and lower his kicks, the more chances the ball will bounce off the leg of an opponent and be recovered by the Steelers. Perhaps that is their hidden strategy.

[Stairwayto7]

I was wrong BERGER is the worst!